DEARSAN KAYRA

History

DEARSAN KAYRA is a one-way attack unmanned surface vessel developed for high-speed strikes against maritime and coastal targets. The craft has a composite hull, a length of 7.6 m, a maximum speed exceeding 60 knots, and a published range of 300 nautical miles.

KAYRA is being produced in Azerbaijan through cooperation between Turkey's DEARSAN Shipyard and the MIRAS Military-Industrial Company of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence. Locally produced craft were demonstrated and practically tested during a visit by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to the country's navy on 6 September 2026.

The vessel is intended primarily for one-way attack missions against surface vessels and shore targets. Published mission descriptions also include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, maritime interdiction, and disruption of enemy logistics and supply routes.

KAYRA had been publicly presented in Azerbaijan before local production was formally highlighted in 2026. According to JAMnews, the system appeared at a military parade in Baku in November 2025.

On 6 September 2026, Azerbaijan demonstrated a joint production facility operated by MIRAS and DEARSAN. KAYRA and the larger SALVO armed unmanned surface vessel were shown during the presidential visit. The locally produced vessels subsequently underwent practical testing. Reports from Naval Today and Baird Maritime identify KAYRA as the one-way attack platform in the pair.

The local manufacturing arrangement represents production activity inside Azerbaijan rather than the simple delivery of completed Turkish-built vessels. However, the publicly available information does not specify production quantities, annual output, contract value, the proportion of Azerbaijani-made components, or the number of vessels accepted by the Azerbaijani Navy. Defence Agenda reported that functional locally produced craft had emerged from the joint facility but noted that the depth of local manufacturing had not been disclosed.

Design

KAYRA uses a composite hull and is substantially smaller than the SALVO armed unmanned surface vessel produced through the same industrial partnership. The hull is 7.6 m long and 2.6 m wide.

The vessel is designed around a high-speed attack profile. Published specifications give a maximum continuous speed of more than 45 knots and a maximum speed exceeding 60 knots. Its stated range is 300 nautical miles.

KAYRA is described as a kamikaze or one-way attack unmanned surface vessel. Its intended targets include enemy ships, patrol boats, naval bases, ports, and critical coastal infrastructure. Other published missions include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, anti-access and area-denial tasks, and interdiction of maritime logistics and supply routes.

Public sources do not disclose the type or amount of explosive payload carried by KAYRA. Details of its guidance system, communications architecture, and the degree of autonomous operation available if communications are lost have also not been published.

Program status

As of September 2026, KAYRA had reached the stage of local production and practical testing in Azerbaijan. The 6 September demonstration confirmed the existence of functional craft associated with the MIRAS-DEARSAN production facility.

The available information does not establish a disclosed full-rate production schedule or a confirmed fleet quantity. It also does not specify how many KAYRA vessels have been formally accepted into Azerbaijani Navy service. The system should therefore be described as locally produced and under testing rather than assigned an unsupported operational fleet size.

Specifications (KAYRA)

General characteristics

• Type: One-way attack unmanned surface vessel
• Length: 7.6 m
• Beam: 2.6 m
• Hull: Composite construction

Performance

• Maximum continuous speed: More than 45 knots
• Maximum speed: More than 60 knots
• Range: 300 nautical miles

Related equipment

• DEARSAN SALVO: A larger armed unmanned surface vessel produced alongside KAYRA through the MIRAS-DEARSAN facility in Azerbaijan. Unlike KAYRA's one-way attack role, SALVO is intended as a reusable armed and surveillance platform.